Health grows in the Capital, reveals latest Census data

Working and studying in health has emerged as one of the main growth areas in the Australian Capital Territory, according to latest insights from the 2016 Census.

The number of people in the Territory that the Census recorded had qualifications in the health field increased 27 per cent between 2011 and 2016, in line with an increase of 19 per cent in the number of people employed in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry.

Census Program Manager Bindi Kindermann said the latest Census insights were important in helping governments plan services for communities.

“From how people get to work, to what they are studying, what their jobs are and where people are moving to, this Census information tells us so much about the lives of people in the ACT,” Ms Kindermann said.

“For example, when it came to commuting, given population increases from 2011 to 2016, the Census recorded increases in numbers for each of the four most common ways that people in the ACT travelled to work,” Ms Kindermann said.

“However, while car use remained by far the most common, as was the case nationally, it had the lowest percentage increase of 5 per cent. The Census recorded that the largest increase was for the bicycle (15 per cent) followed by walking (14 per cent) and then the bus (11 per cent). This pattern is generally in contrast to the national picture.”

The data also showed that while Public Administration and Safety remained the primary industry of employment, the number of people it employed decreased by 1 per cent. The ACT and Northern Territory were the only jurisdictions where this was the leading industry.

Health Care and Social Assistance grew 18.8 per cent between 2011 and 2016 to become the second largest employing industry for the ACT in the Census, while Retail Trade fell by 1.6 per cent.

Community and Personal Service Workers – which includes Carers, Hospitality Workers and Protective Service Workers – was the occupation with the largest growth in the Census between 2011 and 2016, increasing by 19 per cent. Society and Culture – which includes Political Science, Law and Economics – was the most popular field of study, with 43,000 people holding a qualification in these areas in the Census.

Of the Territory’s population recorded on Census night, 17,300 moved from interstate within the preceding 12 months while 9,400 had moved from overseas during that time.